National stories: Instagram, the retail store’s downfall

Retail stores are closing shop around the country. Could the rise of internet fashion, where you don't need to be anywhere in person, be part of the reason why? Tokyo wants to get rid of overhead wires before the Olympics come, and it's more of the same with Trump and transit. Check out what’s happening around the country in transportation, land use, and other related areas!

Instagam killed the retail store: Retail isn't doing so well, as stores in overbuilt areas all over the country are closing. But that doesn't mean that fashion isn't doing well. In fact it's booming… it’s just that the popular photography sharing app Instagram is powering it, so you don’t need to go anywhere in person (like a store) to share styles and trends. (Bloomberg)

Tokyo wants fewer wires for the Olympics wants to clean up pre-Olympics: Japan, and particularly the city of Tokyo, is overwhelmed by utility poles and wires. In order to clean up before the 2020 Olympic games, there are plans to spend $7 billion on undergrounding utilities, something the electric company might find hard to do while already under financial pressure from the Fukishima meltdown. The benefits aren't just better visuals, but more protection from earthquake damage. (Popular Mechanics)

Trump continues to go after transit money: The Trump Administration has already been openly hostile to transit projects, and now it wants to cut $400 million from the existing budget that’s set aside for transit. It also wants to ensure that future budgets have zero capital funding for transit, and it’s likely that no TIGER projects will get funding in 2017. (Transportation for America)

These drawings of cities are unreal: Stephen Wiltshire has quite the photographic memory. The artist can look at an aerial scene of a city and draw it back, perfectly replicating all of the details he saw. He seems unaffected by fame, and when people watch him draw, it only seems to make him better. (National Geographic)

Young people stack up to afford San Francisco living: In a saturated luxury market in San Francisco, a local company has retrofitted units to house more people. This change has specifically benefited young tech workers that have a hard time looking for housing in an expensive market. The worry, though, is that if anyone finds out about the deals, the developer won't be able to get rid of the normal units as quickly. (San Francisco Magazine)

Quote of the Week

“And gas stations no longer have a purpose, so what happens to the convenience stores that they contain—and the half of America’s tobacco sales that gas stations account for?”

Jeff Wood is the Principal of The Overhead Wire, a consulting firm focused on sharing information about cities around the world. He hosts a weekly podcast called Talking Headways at Streetsblog USA and operates the daily news site The Overhead Wire.